Border Crossing

Check out the news article link. It's is from Al Jazeera and I think does a good job of explaining what Serbia is up to right now. It seems as though they are quickly building their defenses up against the inevitability of Kosovo independence. A vote on a new constitution that had to pass by two-thirds was passed unanimously. Included in the constitution were words "reasserting sovereignty over Kosovo." Serbian authorities don't care if UN talks on Kosovo's ultimate status are still happening and apparently they don't care that a good number of Serbia's citizens don't agree with this hasty political move. They will not give up this place.

The relationship between Serbia and this UN administered territory of Serbia (Kosovo refuses to consider itself part of Serbia and Serbia refuses to let Kosovo stand alone) all makes it very interesting for anyone to cross the border separating the territory from the country. A common practice of the internationals around here is a "stamp run." This is a day-long venture over the borders of two countries and this territory. It begins with a 2-hour drive into the city of Skopje in Macedonia. The trip to Macedonia involves a border that can be crossed pretty freely, as long as it's not a holiday weekend with every single UN/EU vehicle lined up and headed for Greece. On these days a good deal of time needs to be allowed - a bit like waiting for the big roller coaster at 6 flags on Memorial Day weekend. On any other occasion, these vehicles are often allowed to jump the line and cross through, no problems, which was the case for us. Skopje is the destination of choice for the simple luxuries one cannot find in Prishtina. Our time there started with McDonald's and moved on to the local shopping mall with clothing shops worth spending money on. Here also exists a supermarket where a desperate soul can find soy milk and soy sauce!! Oh my stomach is so happy right now. The architecture of the city is a bit like Prishtina - very communist-style cement block buildings with a smattering of glass-pained, more modern looking office buildings. There is a river with a very charming foot-bridge that crosses over to a castle-type structure on a hill surrounded by minarets. As with Prishtina, but on a much larger scale, there are cafes with outdoor seating lining the streets that are full of people drinking their macciatos, lattes and OJs. Not sure where these people will go when the snow falls, but I'm sure it will be a much smokier existence within walls.

The whole idea and purpose of the stamp run is, after power shopping in Skopje, to cross the Macedonia/Serbia border in order to get a Serbian stamp in one's passport. This way, for the next month, one can cross the border from Kosovo directly to Serbia and come back without any problem. So the routine goes from Kosovo to Macedonia to Serbia, acquire the stamp and then head back into Kosovo. The woman that drove the four of us is an EU tax employee here, so r car had EU plates making this, I think, a bit easer than if we took a car with Kosovo plates. The border crossing from Serbia into Kosovo was a bit unique. Once you leave Serbia, there is about a 5 mile stretch of beautiful, undeveloped road that winds through the mountains. This "buffer zone" seems to keep a safe distance between the two borders and apparently NOT the place to jump out and throw the Frisbee around - flying objects not welcome. In a few months, who knows what will happen of the stamp run. Serbia might not ever every allow anyone who has ever been in Kosovo to cross into their borders.

A Swede, an Irish and two Oles took a road trip through two countries and a UN occupied territory, ate McDonald's, bought some jeans and soy milk, listened to good music and enjoyed what was a mostly a beautiful scenic drive through mountains of the Balkans. I can't help but find quite a few parallels this all has with my time in Japan. Prishtina is my Iida, Skopje is my Nagoya and driving through the mountain ranges in a car of people from around the world speaking English is equally beautiful and good laughs on an Asian island and in a UN occupied European territory.